Amir Tirosh, a former Israeli Air Force pilot and founder of avionics company AirGator, died Friday in the crash of a Piper PA-28 near Dutchess County Airport in upstate New York. A passenger was critically injured and airlifted to a hospital where he remains in critical condition.
Founded by Tirosh in 2000, AirGator developed its NavAir series of navigation software and assembled hardware packages, often using off-the-shelf computer products with internally produced software programs. Last month, the company introduced its NAVPad 8X and 10X electronic flight bags (EFBs).
According to preliminary NTSB reports, the Piper took off from Orange County Airport around 1:14 pm local time bound for Danbury (Conn.) Airport. About 15 minutes into the flight Tirosh told controllers he had a problem with oil pressure and would attempt an emergency landing at Dutchess County. He crashed about four miles south of the airport in a wooded area.
Tirosh emigrated from Israel to the United States about 30 years ago. AirGator was based in Mt. Kisco, New York.
